Worthington, Minn., (Special.) -- Company F, Third Infantry, Minnesota National Guard of Worthington, which is shown in the accompanying engraving, was organized and mustered into the service of the state Nov. 28th, 1905, with officers as follows: A. Schaefer, captain; S.S. Smith, first lieutenant; Charles B. Ward, second lieutenant, and with 49 enlisted men. With this leadership as a nucleus the company has progressed so that on the practice march of the "hiking Third," in Goodhue county last July, Company F, with 66 men, proved to be one of the most, if not the most, efficient organizations on the ground.

Today Captain Schaefer is congratulated by the commanding officer of the regiment upon having the only full company of 76 men in the regiment. The company has a complete rifle range of 200 to 1000 yards inclusive, and at camp last year qualified three sharpshooters, two expert riflemen, Sergeant Dodge and Robert Smith, and one distinguished rifleman, Lieut. S.S. Smith.

 

Capt. Schaefer was formerly captain of Company I, Second Infantry at Owatonna, and brought that company to a high state of efficiency. He has lately been appointed by Gov. Johnson to the important office of public examiner, and has tendered his resignation of the command of Company F on account of his necessary removal to St. Paul.

 

Lieut. S. Smith formerly served in Company F, First Infantry, Minneapolis, and on the non-commissioned staff of that regiment and has seen upwards of nine years service in the guard.

 

Lieut. C.B. Ward is a veteran of the Spanish and Filippino wars, having served therein with the First South Dakota, and was captain of Company A of that organization at Sioux Falls after its return to the state service.

 

The success and efficiency of this company has often correctly been attributed to the ability and effectiveness of its non-commissioned officers. They are:

 

Sergeants -- First, O. F. Blood; Second, Elmer H. Bassett; Third, Robert R. Smith; Fourth, Wilbur J. Dodge; Fifth, David Bear; Sixth, Charles Loveless, quartermaster.

 

Corporal -- First, J.M. Barron; Second, Henry Nelson; Third Othwaite Kumler; Fourth Guy M. Borst; Fifth Ernest Dewey; Sixth, Virgil Fellows.

 

Sergeant Blood served with Company E of the Fifty-Second Iowa during the Spanish war and is a veteran of the Iowa national guard. He is a model first sergeant.

 

Sergeant Bassett is a veteran of Company L Thirteenth Minnesota and served throughout the Spanish and Filippino campaigns with that famous regiment. His accurate information and broad experience have made him an invaluable element in the instruction of the men.

 

A peculiar and distinguishing character of Company F is the high average of men on its rolls. There are 15 men in the ranks that stand six feet or over and there is an almost total absence of rowdiness and a conspicuous presence of obedience and discipline which make for good soldiers and consequently for good men and good citizens.